US5159196A - Apparatus and method for discharging a specimen disposed in an evacuated chamber - Google Patents

Apparatus and method for discharging a specimen disposed in an evacuated chamber Download PDF

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Publication number
US5159196A
US5159196A US07/728,515 US72851591A US5159196A US 5159196 A US5159196 A US 5159196A US 72851591 A US72851591 A US 72851591A US 5159196 A US5159196 A US 5159196A
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United States
Prior art keywords
electrodes
generating
metal
specimen
gas discharge
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Expired - Fee Related
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US07/728,515
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English (en)
Inventor
Nikolaus Kolbenschlag
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Siemens AG
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Siemens AG
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Assigned to SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT A GERMAN CORP. reassignment SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT A GERMAN CORP. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: KOLBENSCHLAG, NIKOLAUS
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/02—Details
    • H01J37/026—Means for avoiding or neutralising unwanted electrical charges on tube components

Definitions

  • the present invention generally is directed to methods for removing a charge on a specimen. More particularly, the invention is directed to a method for electrically discharging a specimen positioned within a vacuum chamber of an electron scanning device.
  • non-conductive specimens are usually vapor-deposited with a thin metal layer to thereby be provided with a conductive surface.
  • a metalization of the surface cannot be used when the specimen is to be re-employed or is to be subjected to further treatment after its examination in the scanning electron microscope.
  • the present invention provides an apparatus and method for a rapid electron discharge of large-area specimens.
  • the present invention provides a method and structure wherein a plasma is generated by igniting a gas discharge within the vacuum chamber in which the specimen is situated.
  • the plasma generated is a metal plama.
  • a gas discharge is ignited between two electrodes subjected to a voltage thereacross of between about 50 to 500 volts.
  • one of the electrodes is constructed to have a metal-insulator-metal layered structure.
  • An advantage of the invention is that large-area specimens, particularly printed circuits boards having dimensions of, for example, 13 ⁇ 13 cm 2 can be completely discharged within the shortest possible time.
  • FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an apparatus and method for carrying out the invention.
  • FIG. 1 there is illustrated schematically an apparatus and method suitable for carrying out the foregoing.
  • the method of the invention utilizes a gas discharge in a high-vacuum in order to generate the plasmas with the ions and electrons that serve to neutralize a specimen charge.
  • the gas discharge occurs between two electrodes A and K positioned within an evacuated (vacuum) specimen chamber KA (the pressure p being less than 10 -4 -10 -6 Torr).
  • the electrode K serves as a cathode and preferably is composed of two copper or silver foils MF and MF' and of an insulator IS arranged between the foils.
  • the metal-insulator-metal layered structure of the electrode K guarantees that a voltage pulse generated, e.g., with a conventional motor vehicle ignition system HZA, leads to a spark discharge between the metal foil MF connected to the ignition system HZA and the metal foil MF' coupled to the ground.
  • the spark discharge is used to trigger the gas discharge, the gas discharge occurring between the electrodes A and K which are spaced apart by a distance of approximately 1 through 10 mm.
  • the discharge generates a metal plasma that fills out the chamber KA and that contains enough ions and electrons in order to be able to completely discharge even large-area specimens PR within the shortest possible time.
  • a power pack means that is preceded by a protective resistance R is employed for charging a capacitor EK used to generate the discharge events.
  • the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments that have been set forth.
  • copper or silver for example, other metals can be employed for manufacturing the cathode foils MF and MF'. These metals used, however, must have good thermal conductivity and a stability that is adequate for the electrode temperatures that occur during the gas discharge.
  • the detectors should be shut off during the discharge event.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
  • Elimination Of Static Electricity (AREA)
US07/728,515 1990-07-31 1991-07-11 Apparatus and method for discharging a specimen disposed in an evacuated chamber Expired - Fee Related US5159196A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE4024336 1990-07-31
DE4024336 1990-07-31

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US5159196A true US5159196A (en) 1992-10-27

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US07/728,515 Expired - Fee Related US5159196A (en) 1990-07-31 1991-07-11 Apparatus and method for discharging a specimen disposed in an evacuated chamber

Country Status (3)

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US (1) US5159196A (de)
EP (1) EP0469314A3 (de)
JP (1) JPH04233148A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002067285A3 (de) * 2001-02-23 2002-10-10 Bosch Gmbh Robert Vorrichtung und verfahren zur entladung von dielektrischen oberflächen
US20040047102A1 (en) * 2000-12-28 2004-03-11 Shiding Zhang Practical plasma arrester
US20120074316A1 (en) * 2010-08-03 2012-03-29 Kenji Watanabe Electro-optical inspection apparatus and method with dust or particle collection function
US10068747B2 (en) * 2015-09-01 2018-09-04 Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh Methods and devices for examining an electrically charged specimen surface

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4249077A (en) * 1978-08-04 1981-02-03 Crawford Charles K Ion charge neutralization for electron beam devices
JPH01286242A (ja) * 1988-05-13 1989-11-17 Hitachi Ltd 除電機能付分析装置

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3332248A1 (de) * 1983-09-07 1985-03-21 Lutz-Achim Dipl.-Ing. 7000 Stuttgart Gäng System zum ableiten von probenaufladungen bei rasterelektronenmikroskopischen untersuchungen
EP0254128A3 (de) * 1986-07-25 1990-01-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren und Anordnung zur aufladungsfreien Untersuchung einer Probe

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4249077A (en) * 1978-08-04 1981-02-03 Crawford Charles K Ion charge neutralization for electron beam devices
JPH01286242A (ja) * 1988-05-13 1989-11-17 Hitachi Ltd 除電機能付分析装置

Non-Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
"Charge neutralisation of insulating surfaces in the SEM by gas ionisation", J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., vol. 11, 1978, pp. 2315-2325.
"Oscillatory Scattered Ion Yields From Nonconductive Materials", by D. L. Christensen et al., Nuclear Instruments and Methods 149 (1978), pp. 587-589.
"Wafer Decharging During Electron-Beam Exposure", IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 27, No. 11, Apr., 1985, pp. 6388-6389.
Charge neutralisation of insulating surfaces in the SEM by gas ionisation , J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., vol. 11, 1978, pp. 2315 2325. *
Oscillatory Scattered Ion Yields From Nonconductive Materials , by D. L. Christensen et al., Nuclear Instruments and Methods 149 (1978), pp. 587 589. *
Wafer Decharging During Electron Beam Exposure , IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 27, No. 11, Apr., 1985, pp. 6388 6389. *

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040047102A1 (en) * 2000-12-28 2004-03-11 Shiding Zhang Practical plasma arrester
US7113382B2 (en) * 2000-12-28 2006-09-26 Shiding Zhang Practical plasma arrester
WO2002067285A3 (de) * 2001-02-23 2002-10-10 Bosch Gmbh Robert Vorrichtung und verfahren zur entladung von dielektrischen oberflächen
US20040141278A1 (en) * 2001-02-23 2004-07-22 Stefan Grosse Device and method for charge removal from dielectric surfaces
US6934142B2 (en) 2001-02-23 2005-08-23 Robert Bosch Gmbh Device and method for charge removal from dielectric surfaces
US20120074316A1 (en) * 2010-08-03 2012-03-29 Kenji Watanabe Electro-optical inspection apparatus and method with dust or particle collection function
US8624182B2 (en) * 2010-08-03 2014-01-07 Ebara Corporation Electro-optical inspection apparatus and method with dust or particle collection function
US20140091215A1 (en) * 2010-08-03 2014-04-03 Ebara Corporation Electro-optical inspection apparatus and method with dust or particle collection function
US9105444B2 (en) * 2010-08-03 2015-08-11 Ebara Corporation Electro-optical inspection apparatus and method with dust or particle collection function
US10068747B2 (en) * 2015-09-01 2018-09-04 Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh Methods and devices for examining an electrically charged specimen surface
US20190035601A1 (en) * 2015-09-01 2019-01-31 Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh Methods and devices for examining an electrically charged specimen surface
US11170970B2 (en) 2015-09-01 2021-11-09 Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh Methods and devices for examining an electrically charged specimen surface

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0469314A3 (en) 1992-06-03
EP0469314A2 (de) 1992-02-05
JPH04233148A (ja) 1992-08-21

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Owner name: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT A GERMAN CORP.

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:KOLBENSCHLAG, NIKOLAUS;REEL/FRAME:005780/0859

Effective date: 19910703

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STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362